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Fun fact - the font used in this game is called "Anime Ace", which is the de-facto font to use for every furry webcomic ever. Don't ask me how I know this!
That bit about the annoying cooking puzzle must be a favorite of the developers how often it comes up. The hardest puzzle in their game Siberia is mixing a drink for an elderly opera singer and it is hand's down the toughest part of the game.
OMG. GIRL. SAME HIGH SCHOOL CAREER GOAL!! (Class of 2008!) You HAD to be there to understand the madness that was what this game's ending did to the people who were completely engrossed in it. My father is Czech, just like the main character's, so I was EXTREMELY passionate about this game and its predecessor, "Post Mortem." I spent years following the fan theories as to who the real killer was. By far, the best one was that it was the real Prague killer or Jack the Ripper who just never died, since Post Mortem had some fantastical elements as well (it's the reason I have pronounced "Baphomet" as if it were French because that's how it's pronounced in the game). My personal theory was the one that ended up being correct when Still Life 2 came out, and I actually bragged to people IRL that I was right even though no one cared about this to begin with 😂. So many memories!!! Thank you so much for covering this game!!!
the xplay story is very relatable to me, i used to watch g4 a ton as a girl growing up in the early to mid 2000's, that literally was how i also heard about different games and such 😭
I only learned about it by the time I was a bit older, when we first got satellite TV at our house in the middle of nowhere. They had a TV guide and I saw G4TV listed there. X-Play was one of the first shows I saw on the channel and it was nice to see a channel more or less dedicated to video games. That was a very new concept for me. Rarely ever got to watch it because it only ever played at specific times and other times there were re-runs for shows I didn't give a crap about like Attack of the Show! or something wholly unrelated to games, but it occupied more than a few of my days and taught me about some games that, while I didn't necessarily remember, I did eventually look back on when I had played them through pure coincidence. Like Persona 3. I didn't even know that existed until X-Play and then forgot about it until I randomly rented Devil Survivor for DS off of GameFly and got hooked on anything SMT-related, which eventually led me to getting Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 (renting at first and then eventually owning). They have a weird consensus online about whether they were good or not. X-Play, I mean. Some people bitch about their really bad "Flow" review, which misses the point of that style of game, and others talk about them fondly. I preferred their later episodes which were some of the first I saw, when they had properly refined the style of the show and had developed some level of charisma. The earlier episodes always felt kinda awkward and cringy.
Apparently this game and the first ObsCure game come from the same people. They have such rare and underrated games. Highly recommend ObsCure by the way, such a fun horror game that definitely stands up (and somewhat it’s crackhead sequel).
I love how much of a time capsule this game is. A few childish comedy scenes aside, I thought it was really good. The robot puzzle can die in a fire, though.
I'm pretty sure Still Life II happens in Peru or something, so it's unlikely. I realise that's a far cry from L.A. but that's kinda the main reason I never got around to playing the sequel.
All my plans for socializing today got cancelled so having a surprise Earlybird video about a horror game I never played is a very nice surprise. I'm the only man alive I know who doesn't mind slider puzzles :( Edit: Is the guy voicing Gustav also the voice for Max Payne in the original game? He sounds REALLY similar. I'd love to watch a video about the sequel though, I'm invested in this series now.
Alright next time I have a sliding puzzle I’m callin you lmao 😭 I don’t think it’s the same VA, but it looks like he’s in a few other games as well he does sound kinda familiar haha.
I too remember loving watching Xplay back in high school. Good times! I love these horror game play through, please keep doing more! Binging through the rest on your channel now!
Still Life is one of my favoritest games ever. It made me fall in love with the point-and-click genre (and video games in general) back in 2021. It changed how I see games. It's a shame they never made a sequel and that we'll never know how it ends; truly a shame. But in all seriousness, this game's story is something else. Don't go browsing the Still Life wiki unless you want spoilers for layers of the game you never even imagined. Same advice for if you go browsing old forum posts about this game. And the game exhibits some strong influence from a certain Robert Bloch short story. On the off-chance someone who can help sees this-for preservation purposes, has anyone located a copy of the Still Life web demo with unique story content, previously hosted on the defunct Still Life website? I tried and failed to hunt it down a year ago. (And The Wayback Machine saved its web page, but not the game itself.)
I also tried looking for the game on way back machine, it’s a bit sad. I feel like someone somewhere would have it though. Maybe ask around on Reddit if you haven’t already 🤔
Man, I got this game at a KB Toys on my birthday, right around christmas! Trying to figure out that lockpick puzzle on my own probably gave me my first gray hair. I just wish I could get it to run on my system these days.
That xplay bit was great lol. I wanted to be a rock star when I grew up and I wrote songs about "DK Duke" not realizing it sounded like Donkey Kong taking a shit xD Good video! I've never heard of this game. It took a long time for me to hear about Syberia as well. Both games look kind of janky but then have these moments that are really interesting and have some good timing.
I feel like your channel was like.... UA-cam algorithmed directly from my brain! The humor and the time frame of your references hit me in a way I don't find elsewhere. I also had a dream of being on Xplay in high school and none of my zoomer friends understand Simpsons references. I haven't laughed as genuinely from a video essay in a while. I really appreciate the way you break things down and give scenes time to showcase themselves rather than over explaining them. Plus your voice is like S+ and your avatar is super cute!! Excited to see this channel blow up and get the attention it deserves. Will definitely be supporting when the options come up. Thank you for the great content so far 🙏 edit: Oh, there's already a join button. Easiest membership of my life.
I played this game wayyy too young with my mom, sitting in her lap and clicking away at everything. This game was awesome, but those puzzles were the hardest ever. Walkthroughs helped so much and at the time we had to print them lol 😂 As soon as you said “sound design” I remembered the sound of the computer in their office, because both my mom and I commented on hearing it on our play through. 21:32 thanks for making this video it brought back so many memories.
Thank you for covering this game! I remember being a kid and seeing my aunt playing it once, so finally finding out what it's called feels surreal...She was actually very impressed by graphics back then
I like slide puzzles! When a friend of mine did a run through Onimusha, he handed the controller to me for a bit that involved solving a slide puzzle before a pit floods with water, and I managed to rearrange the puzzle so it was entirely reversed from the starting point and then solve it within the time limit. I will say it like a perturbed grandmother - I like slide puzzles! I played the Still Life/Post-Mortem trilogy last year. I loved how apparent the Syberia influence is in Still Life, and the setting as well really felt like Christmas in the mid-2000's for that region - they really nailed that presentation. Also really enjoy the interaction with characters, especially Vic's fellow officers. Gus's story felt like a big Game Over at the end, though, and I'm pretty mixed on it. I feel there's a lot to talk about the game as well as the sequel and the prequel, but I'll refrain from any of that since this is where you've started - you'll need to experience them yourself.
This game is core memory from a peaceful childhodd. Played the demo as a child, aquired and finished it as an adult, it was just as good. Heads up for the 2nd installment: the puzzles get way more finnicky. Still did not finished that. And didn't know that there was a prequel! Wow.
I remember a friend of mine owner of an og xbox, he introduce to me this games and its sequels, then we discover together Syberia, also published by Microids, nice hidden gems
I hope you cover the second game! I've rewatched pretty much all of you channel over and over for the past few months. (Overblood has been my favourite)
... My god that first minute regarding you, your teacher & Xplay had me in stitches! Not to mention that ending joke! Facinating game too, hope you cover the sequel Earlybird!
Man I rented this game as a kid. Thought it was interesting but never played it again. If I beat it and got to the end and didn't get to find out who the murderer was, I would be PISSED.
Your videos are so good 🤣 the memes, everything lol. I also can relate to wanting to be on G4. That was my life for a little while. That and Newtype magazine lmao
I have been hopping around your channel since I found it the other night, enjoying my stay. I do not mind if a vid goes long though I understand if you would prefer them shorter. Big fan of your humor and bringing me info on games I've not seen before, for good and bad (looking at you Stray Souls).
Hey, you're really improving with the video editing! I just watched your Spore video and noted the pauses in-between sentences, in newer videos they're cut to flow a lot better. You also use effects and music cues well, you have a great voice-over style and I enjoy your humour. I'm glad I found you, looking forward to more!🎉
One of my favourite games! I played it on the Xbox where they got rid of the point and click and you move the characters around instead of point and click. But these puzzles…. Flashbacks…. The Christmas cookies still haunt me!!
This game has such a cool atmosphere, I still need to play the second one. I also got some stuff to attempt to make the cookie recipe irl just to see how they turn out 🤣🤣
@@early-tv Still Life 2 has same character as protagonist, but the story of SL1 is shot in the head. You'll solve TIMED murder room mysteries, just like in Saw...SL2 is an okay game, but it's nothing like SL1. Shame. Hope you can enjoy it, if you ever play it tho'!
I played this one and the sequel relatively close to release, back when. It certainly compensated in atmosphere for what it lacked in gameplay and objective coherence as products. Your video was an enjoyable look back at those times and I'd love to watch your take on the sequel... as for the prequel, getting that glorified quicktime panorama slideshow to work and tolerating it long enough to beat the game? Good luck, you'll need it.
I can imagine it was much more frustrating back in the day as it sounded like it was a bit rocky on if the sequel was going to come out or not… Didn’t come out til 2009 so a 4 year wait for a resolution 😩
I have vague memories of this game... I'm not sure if I've seen gameplay of this back then or if it's just very similar to other point and click adventures of that time. Regardless, I kinda miss this era where there were so many adventures. My siblings and I played a lot of them in the 2000s. Not all of them were good and personally I wouldn't want to play Still Life, but I definitely enjoy retrospectives like this one! Looking forward to the next.
If I had to make a blind guess I would say it was her partner I don’t know if that doesn’t make sense but it feels right since he was so insistent on pinning the case on whoever he could find
You only find out about the killer's identity in the sequel? I knew that tactic sounded familiar! Microids also released Dracula 4+5, which were basically one half each of one game. You can't even buy them separately anymore...
I remember playing the demo for this, back when it was released, and liking it enough to go buy the game. Pretty good, but yeah, that 'ending'. I bought the sequel on gog a while back, but haven't played it.
It’s okay about the x play thing. I get you. In college for game design one of my teachers had friends who worked at g4. They did a thing where we had a contest to see who could create a 3d computer graphics bumper for g4. We went a little crazy trying to get a 5 second video on the channel. Competition, sabotage, plagiarism, theft. The whole tela novella Mexican soap opera deal. In the end no one really one as g4 just took our work and never credited anyone who made it (which was kinda the whole point, work credit portfolio stuff) but if you ever saw a little robot blow a hole in a wall with the hole cut out in the shape of the g4 logo with an alien looking back that was mine. I think my friends race car speeding by bill boards was better animated.
You mentioning Syberia got me a bit excited but you don’t have videos on it I know you mostly do horror but I’d like to see a video on that series. I’m a recent fan of it.
Oh man, I loved this game. Except the F****** cookie puzzle! I got the game in a bargain bin and thought it was a copy protection puzzle like the moddie puzzle in Space Quest 6, which I also got in a bargain bin and couldn't do because it didn't come with the manual! Accursed farms did a couple of videos on this game... jeez, 8 years ago? He spends a good 5 minutes ranting about the cookies. Also his conclusion on the killer, that its either Victoria's dad or vampires, makes more sense then who they say it was in the 2nd game.
Haha I can definitely see how the cookie puzzle came off as a copy protection 🤣🤣 Starting up the second game here soon can’t wait to get some resolution!
Oh, I do remember being a kid, when my parents played lots of games, sitting beside my mother, who's been playing Siberia and crying when boys dream, who became already a man, coming true, I saw and played this game. Honestly, puzzles were the most frustrating thing and if there were no walk through, I would be doomed to go back and forth locations 😂
" No one on earth has ever had fun doing a slide puzzle" I only know one person and that was my ex best friend. I was playing a survival horror game with a slide puzzle and was complaining and she literally said "why, i love them!". Notice how i said ex-best friend lol.
Ah Still Life. I still re-read the screenshot LP that first introduced me to it every couple years. *I* don't think it's worth playing, but no shame to anyone who likes it. Now the sequel on the other hand, Still Life 2, THAT I will throw shade at anyone who defends it. But yes please play Still Life 2.
Huh? There was only 2 ingredients I didn't get right away. The lockpicking puzzle... is hell sure when you aren't writing down which pin springs which other pins.
I really love this game to be honest. I've played through it a few times now and played the other games that are part of the story too. I can only say one thing though that really was a moment of why, just whyyyyyyyyyy. Cookies. Nope. Other then that, the style and art in the game really are things I enjoy. I am pretty sure I've saved screen captures of those somewhere on my PC.
@early-tv oh noes! Covid going around like crazy. I had it for Xmas 🙃 second round with the stuff in my case. I took 5 days to reply so you should be feeling better 😆 at least I hope so!
EDIT: OK turns out you mentioned this at the end, I should really finish videos before I reply... I seem to recall there was also a game called Post Mortem by the same folks, I think it's a whole game about Gustav. I cannot for the life of me remember whether I actually played it or not, but I do know I've bought all three on CD.
Are you thinking about finishing out the series after you get out of the shadowhearts rabbit hole? I am pretty interested in the rest and its not something that's super common to cover (one of the things I enjoy about your content)
I find it hilarious that, of the two videos I've seen about this game in my lifetime, one praised the cookie puzzle as the single best puzzle in a game full of great puzzles, while the other hated its guts. Then again, Ross _is_ a cookie addict, so it was probably a lot more intuitive for him to figure out.
I think what I found charming about this game was the main character because of her pixie cut. Something just always clicks with me when a bad ass female main character has a short cute haircut like that.❤❤❤ I don’t have to have another reason to love a game other than that, but I did like the serial killer mystery aspect I was super invested in the LP that I watched, don’t really remember if the mystery was ever solved, and for that I am kind of sad
I was wondering if you will mention Post Mortem. I really liked it when I played it back in 2003 (yeah, I'm old 😅). Maybe you could make a review? 😊 And, btw, I love sliding puzzles! 😁
I definitely want to play the other two games! I would have started with Post Mortem but I didn’t realize it was part of the series at first because of the different name 🤣
@@early-tv Yeah... It's really confusing. But as gameplay is different I kinda understand the change. I've played Post Mortem first, and years later I've got a copy of Still Life. Until Gustav showed up I had no idea what I was playing. 🤣 Btw, have you played Sanitarium? A 1998 point and click psychological horror that really needs a remake. 😁
All the puzzles you mentioned having difficulty with - I recall them as well, they suck. I am thankful for gamefaq's existence and the guides people posted there, they were and are a blessing. I didn't remember Gustav being so badass! I got used to the trope of MC's always just either avoiding the people they have to answer to or simply taking the shit they are given in silence, but not Gustav! And that badassery seems to run in their blood, considering the showdown with the serial killer! Yeah, the ending makes you think what the point of the whole investigation, or game was. It sucks. Like, we are finding clues and solving puzzles with one express purpose - to find the killer. Not to just deus ex them into the sequel (possibly), but to find who they are and maybe bring them to justice. Never played through the sequel, probably because I fear the ending might be similar, and as far as I know there is no Still Life 3. The way the killer is portrayed makes me feel like some of the devs wanted us to root for them? Like, they were going for a Arsene Lupin kinda thing, especially with the getup? Maybe I'm just crazy. That kind of characterisation doesn't work with serial killers praying on innocent people.
I definitely wouldn’t have gotten past the lockpicking puzzle without a walkthrough that’s for sure haha. Starting up the second game here soon, really hoping it has a good resolution! :D
A peak style over substance game - especially the modern sections. Loved the gritty murder thriller vibe, and the style of the cinematics, as well. Never really enjoyed the flashback sections with Gustav, though - it kind of feels like a different game, even though the story ties it in. And, oh God, the puzzles. I needed a walkthrough for almost everything, had to get my wife to do the goddamned sliding puzzle (I HATE sliding puzzles), and that key assembly thing in the sewers, as well. I wish so much more had been like the CSI investigation work at the start of the game. A real missed opportunity overall, I feel. Completely killed my desire to experience the sequel, even though I was hooked by the story despite all the flaws.
My wife requested the I inform you that she LOVES sliding puzzles (which, thank God, I've got someone to handle them in retro games). I think it's past trauma for me, stemming from the H house in Neverhood. That stupid thing killed any love I ever possibly could have had for sliding puzzles.
@@KyNiDo The sliding puzzle in The Neverhood is 100% the start of my hatred of sliding puzzles hahaha. I remember begging my poor family members to do it for me any time I got to it 🤣🤣 And agreed I really wish the game had more of the crime scene investigation elements, that was really cool in the start. I am definitely gonna be playing Sill Life 2 next despite the frustrating parts because I just NEED to know what happens at this point haha!
@@early-tvMy dad basically said "either do it yourself or I throw out the game" after the 10 or 11th time of forcing him to do it. I feel so sorry for them now, haha. Glad I'm not the only one carrying that trauma :D
18:40 Yeah, 18 years ago, I stopped playing at the recipe section. I don't understand how cooking recipes are related to the investigation. After watching your entire video, I'm glad I didn't play the whole game.
A few of the puzzles in this game are genuinely frustrating, but I do still like it overall for the story and atmosphere. Still gotta play the next one to see where the story goes 😆
@@early-tv yeah, this story kinda reminds me of a British serial killer "Jack the Ripper". Though they couldn't capture/identify the killer, anyway I'm looking forward to your next video. Hopefully the story this time is not horrible 🤞🏼
me who likes slide puzzles 👁️👄👁️ (tbf: i get how they can get bad very easily, but they're more in danger of slowing the timing a lot and being out of place kind of boring. also i just like jigsaw puzzles)
![Worst Silent Hill Knockoff | Stray Souls [Warning: Flashing Light]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QBslDPn_Ack/mqdefault.jpg)
![Worst Silent Hill Knockoff | Stray Souls [Warning: Flashing Light]](/img/tr.png)
If you like silly little top hats on your villains check out these linkies!:
Discord: discord.gg/CrkQ86CVXg
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We gonnna get part 2 and we needed more in depth its such a fun game
We do need prequel and sequel too! I loved post mortem and still life as a teen.
😊😊
Fun fact - the font used in this game is called "Anime Ace", which is the de-facto font to use for every furry webcomic ever. Don't ask me how I know this!
Not just furry webcomic. It's just a standard font for comics and manga especially.
Your pfp explains how lol
you are a furry, thats how you know that information
Fun!
Isn't Earlybird a furry too? Not trying to kink shame, just saying because she uses a furry bird avatar to represent herself.
That bit about the annoying cooking puzzle must be a favorite of the developers how often it comes up. The hardest puzzle in their game Siberia is mixing a drink for an elderly opera singer and it is hand's down the toughest part of the game.
Haha I think the hardest one in this game (for me at least) is definitely the lockpicking puzzle... but that cookie one was somethin' else too 🤣🤣
I told my HS counselor I wanted to make video games, and she laughed and told me I should get a real job.
The struggle is real haha. But hey! Plenty of people do get game dev jobs and do great :D
Earlybird: "NO ONE ON EARTH LIKES SLIDE PUZZLES!"
Me: 🥺"I like slide puzzles..."
OMG. GIRL. SAME HIGH SCHOOL CAREER GOAL!! (Class of 2008!) You HAD to be there to understand the madness that was what this game's ending did to the people who were completely engrossed in it. My father is Czech, just like the main character's, so I was EXTREMELY passionate about this game and its predecessor, "Post Mortem." I spent years following the fan theories as to who the real killer was. By far, the best one was that it was the real Prague killer or Jack the Ripper who just never died, since Post Mortem had some fantastical elements as well (it's the reason I have pronounced "Baphomet" as if it were French because that's how it's pronounced in the game). My personal theory was the one that ended up being correct when Still Life 2 came out, and I actually bragged to people IRL that I was right even though no one cared about this to begin with 😂. So many memories!!! Thank you so much for covering this game!!!
I'm so glad that the algorithm recommended your channel. Your sense of humor is a delight.
Haha thank you I appreciate it!
I wanted point and click mystery game video essay, and now I have it. thanks.
Haha I’m a sucker for point and click games and this one was pretty interesting! I still need to play the next game c:
the xplay story is very relatable to me, i used to watch g4 a ton as a girl growing up in the early to mid 2000's, that literally was how i also heard about different games and such 😭
Haha I loved XPlay so much, I miss it 💖
I only learned about it by the time I was a bit older, when we first got satellite TV at our house in the middle of nowhere. They had a TV guide and I saw G4TV listed there. X-Play was one of the first shows I saw on the channel and it was nice to see a channel more or less dedicated to video games. That was a very new concept for me.
Rarely ever got to watch it because it only ever played at specific times and other times there were re-runs for shows I didn't give a crap about like Attack of the Show! or something wholly unrelated to games, but it occupied more than a few of my days and taught me about some games that, while I didn't necessarily remember, I did eventually look back on when I had played them through pure coincidence. Like Persona 3. I didn't even know that existed until X-Play and then forgot about it until I randomly rented Devil Survivor for DS off of GameFly and got hooked on anything SMT-related, which eventually led me to getting Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 (renting at first and then eventually owning).
They have a weird consensus online about whether they were good or not. X-Play, I mean. Some people bitch about their really bad "Flow" review, which misses the point of that style of game, and others talk about them fondly. I preferred their later episodes which were some of the first I saw, when they had properly refined the style of the show and had developed some level of charisma. The earlier episodes always felt kinda awkward and cringy.
Apparently this game and the first ObsCure game come from the same people. They have such rare and underrated games. Highly recommend ObsCure by the way, such a fun horror game that definitely stands up (and somewhat it’s crackhead sequel).
Wait what really!! I didn’t realize it was the same people. That’s really cool haha
this games also a semi sequel to post mortem, as gus is the main character in that
I love how much of a time capsule this game is. A few childish comedy scenes aside, I thought it was really good. The robot puzzle can die in a fire, though.
Oh no, the finale! Oh god that was a bad decision. I would love to see the next one and the confusing Hobbit-style prequel!
I hope the bouncer is in the sequel, he was almost as fabulous as the killers top hat!
Hahaha I hope so too
I'm pretty sure Still Life II happens in Peru or something, so it's unlikely.
I realise that's a far cry from L.A. but that's kinda the main reason I never got around to playing the sequel.
@@NewExile I'm sure the devs could think of a reason for store brand Chris Tucker to relocate to Peru.
“Want some cookies!?” - Ross “moldman” scott
well If you wanted more cookies you should have baked a double batch!
how does this channel not have 10 k subs
Haha! I doubt that will happen, I'm shocked I got this far! I appreciate it! 💖💖
All my plans for socializing today got cancelled so having a surprise Earlybird video about a horror game I never played is a very nice surprise. I'm the only man alive I know who doesn't mind slider puzzles :(
Edit: Is the guy voicing Gustav also the voice for Max Payne in the original game? He sounds REALLY similar. I'd love to watch a video about the sequel though, I'm invested in this series now.
Alright next time I have a sliding puzzle I’m callin you lmao 😭
I don’t think it’s the same VA, but it looks like he’s in a few other games as well he does sound kinda familiar haha.
I also enjoy slide puzzles
Was an excellent video! Really liked the editing.
Thanks, appreciate it!!
I too remember loving watching Xplay back in high school. Good times!
I love these horror game play through, please keep doing more! Binging through the rest on your channel now!
I love the Blockatiels.
The sheer panic on their little faces. 😆😆😆
Still Life is one of my favoritest games ever. It made me fall in love with the point-and-click genre (and video games in general) back in 2021. It changed how I see games. It's a shame they never made a sequel and that we'll never know how it ends; truly a shame.
But in all seriousness, this game's story is something else. Don't go browsing the Still Life wiki unless you want spoilers for layers of the game you never even imagined. Same advice for if you go browsing old forum posts about this game. And the game exhibits some strong influence from a certain Robert Bloch short story.
On the off-chance someone who can help sees this-for preservation purposes, has anyone located a copy of the Still Life web demo with unique story content, previously hosted on the defunct Still Life website? I tried and failed to hunt it down a year ago. (And The Wayback Machine saved its web page, but not the game itself.)
I also tried looking for the game on way back machine, it’s a bit sad.
I feel like someone somewhere would have it though. Maybe ask around on Reddit if you haven’t already 🤔
I've never heard of this game, but that just made this video even better. XD
I hope you cover the next one. :)
Some of the soundtrack is Mozart's Requiem - Dies Irae and Confutatis.
Man, I got this game at a KB Toys on my birthday, right around christmas! Trying to figure out that lockpick puzzle on my own probably gave me my first gray hair. I just wish I could get it to run on my system these days.
That xplay bit was great lol. I wanted to be a rock star when I grew up and I wrote songs about "DK Duke" not realizing it sounded like Donkey Kong taking a shit xD
Good video! I've never heard of this game. It took a long time for me to hear about Syberia as well. Both games look kind of janky but then have these moments that are really interesting and have some good timing.
Hahah, I bet the song was a banger though.
These older adventure games always have really good stories (or so bad they're good) :D
God, I loved this game. Aside from the awful cliffhanger and that recipe puzzle...
Yeahhh that cookie puzzle was somethin else haha.
Blast from the past! I played this so many years ago and all I remember is the baking part cuz I got so frustrated lol
Amazing review as always. I hope algorithm will notice you, and your channel becomes popular overnight.
Haha thanks, appreciate it!!
I feel like your channel was like.... UA-cam algorithmed directly from my brain! The humor and the time frame of your references hit me in a way I don't find elsewhere. I also had a dream of being on Xplay in high school and none of my zoomer friends understand Simpsons references. I haven't laughed as genuinely from a video essay in a while.
I really appreciate the way you break things down and give scenes time to showcase themselves rather than over explaining them.
Plus your voice is like S+ and your avatar is super cute!!
Excited to see this channel blow up and get the attention it deserves. Will definitely be supporting when the options come up. Thank you for the great content so far 🙏
edit: Oh, there's already a join button. Easiest membership of my life.
Thanks so much for the kind words, I really appreciate it!
Glad to know I'm not the only one that had a dream of being on XPlay hahaha. ♥
I played this game wayyy too young with my mom, sitting in her lap and clicking away at everything. This game was awesome, but those puzzles were the hardest ever. Walkthroughs helped so much and at the time we had to print them lol 😂
As soon as you said “sound design” I remembered the sound of the computer in their office, because both my mom and I commented on hearing it on our play through. 21:32 thanks for making this video it brought back so many memories.
patiently waiting for your review of the other two games😸
Still Life 2 will be soon!! C:
Thank you for covering this game! I remember being a kid and seeing my aunt playing it once, so finally finding out what it's called feels surreal...She was actually very impressed by graphics back then
I really like how this game looks it’s got a great style. Still gotta play the second one and see where the story goes 😁
I like slide puzzles! When a friend of mine did a run through Onimusha, he handed the controller to me for a bit that involved solving a slide puzzle before a pit floods with water, and I managed to rearrange the puzzle so it was entirely reversed from the starting point and then solve it within the time limit. I will say it like a perturbed grandmother - I like slide puzzles!
I played the Still Life/Post-Mortem trilogy last year. I loved how apparent the Syberia influence is in Still Life, and the setting as well really felt like Christmas in the mid-2000's for that region - they really nailed that presentation. Also really enjoy the interaction with characters, especially Vic's fellow officers. Gus's story felt like a big Game Over at the end, though, and I'm pretty mixed on it. I feel there's a lot to talk about the game as well as the sequel and the prequel, but I'll refrain from any of that since this is where you've started - you'll need to experience them yourself.
Haha I'm just not smart enough for slide puzzles 😫
I still haven't played the other games yet but I am really looking forward to experiencing them c:
16:05 oooh, Mozart's Requiem mass! (Confutatis)
This game is core memory from a peaceful childhodd. Played the demo as a child, aquired and finished it as an adult, it was just as good. Heads up for the 2nd installment: the puzzles get way more finnicky. Still did not finished that.
And didn't know that there was a prequel! Wow.
I love videos like this, I cant play horror games but can watch others talk about them
I remember a friend of mine owner of an og xbox, he introduce to me this games and its sequels, then we discover together Syberia, also published by Microids, nice hidden gems
I hope you cover the second game! I've rewatched pretty much all of you channel over and over for the past few months. (Overblood has been my favourite)
... My god that first minute regarding you, your teacher & Xplay had me in stitches! Not to mention that ending joke! Facinating game too, hope you cover the sequel Earlybird!
I do plan on doing the other games! When I have some time haha 😆
Definitely curious where the story goes!
Man I rented this game as a kid. Thought it was interesting but never played it again. If I beat it and got to the end and didn't get to find out who the murderer was, I would be PISSED.
Oh this is making me feel so old. I played this on Xbox when it first came out. Good game.
A friend and I would always say we wanted to be on X-Play back in, like, 2007 or so when we were in middle school, lol
Syberia is such an underrated game series, to see a horror game created by the same developers is amazing especially given I've never heard of it.
The first Syberia's great, but the second?... Not so much. 🤷
Your videos are so good 🤣 the memes, everything lol. I also can relate to wanting to be on G4. That was my life for a little while. That and Newtype magazine lmao
I have been hopping around your channel since I found it the other night, enjoying my stay. I do not mind if a vid goes long though I understand if you would prefer them shorter. Big fan of your humor and bringing me info on games I've not seen before, for good and bad (looking at you Stray Souls).
Haha thank you I appreciate it!
Hey, you're really improving with the video editing! I just watched your Spore video and noted the pauses in-between sentences, in newer videos they're cut to flow a lot better. You also use effects and music cues well, you have a great voice-over style and I enjoy your humour. I'm glad I found you, looking forward to more!🎉
Thanks, appreciate it!!
Haha I'm still very new to editing and definitely still learning c:
I just found your channel last week! Your content is really high quality and I just very gladly subscribed. Keep on it!
Thanks a ton, I appreciate ya!!
One of my favourite games! I played it on the Xbox where they got rid of the point and click and you move the characters around instead of point and click. But these puzzles…. Flashbacks…. The Christmas cookies still haunt me!!
This game has such a cool atmosphere, I still need to play the second one.
I also got some stuff to attempt to make the cookie recipe irl just to see how they turn out 🤣🤣
@@early-tv Still Life 2 has same character as protagonist, but the story of SL1 is shot in the head. You'll solve TIMED murder room mysteries, just like in Saw...SL2 is an okay game, but it's nothing like SL1. Shame. Hope you can enjoy it, if you ever play it tho'!
My chair scowls at me too, but it’s because I let my cats scratch him too much. He also wants me to lose weight, but that’s his problem 😄
early- 2024's best rising xplay personality (also the laugh at 3:00 kinda took me out)
Truly the best laugh 😂
I have a confession to make: I actually like slide puzzles
Haha, I only dislike them cuz I'm a dummy 🤣
I played this one and the sequel relatively close to release, back when. It certainly compensated in atmosphere for what it lacked in gameplay and objective coherence as products. Your video was an enjoyable look back at those times and I'd love to watch your take on the sequel... as for the prequel, getting that glorified quicktime panorama slideshow to work and tolerating it long enough to beat the game? Good luck, you'll need it.
Vampire the Masquerade Bloodline vibes really are the best vibes. The music in particular does reflect that.
shout out to that early 2000s screen saver at 8:20 LMAO
I miss screensavers 😩
I remember playing this game back in winter 2005. Very cozy title. The ending had me fuming though.
I can imagine it was much more frustrating back in the day as it sounded like it was a bit rocky on if the sequel was going to come out or not… Didn’t come out til 2009 so a 4 year wait for a resolution 😩
I get what you mean with the Vampire the Masquerade reference. Both games are mascara running Capital G Goth.
The bouncer dude sounded a lot like Chris Tucker..😂
You deserve more views well done
Thanks so much, kind of you to say!
i love slide puzzles i used to have toys of them (they too hard for me at that time)
Would you pleeaase also make a video on the part 2? I really enjoyed this one and wanna know how it ends ✨️
I have vague memories of this game... I'm not sure if I've seen gameplay of this back then or if it's just very similar to other point and click adventures of that time. Regardless, I kinda miss this era where there were so many adventures. My siblings and I played a lot of them in the 2000s. Not all of them were good and personally I wouldn't want to play Still Life, but I definitely enjoy retrospectives like this one! Looking forward to the next.
If I had to make a blind guess I would say it was her partner I don’t know if that doesn’t make sense but it feels right since he was so insistent on pinning the case on whoever he could find
I loved this game so much as a kid!
11:18 oh my god, he doesn’t just scream “nooooo” like he’s drawing out the word ‘no’, he actually says it like it rhymes with moo 😂
You should of had her eyes shimmer in the last little skit to mimic the dude
How can I say no to that face 🥺(your content is real good. Found ya through the stray souls vid, hope to keep seein stuff from ya ^^)
Haha thank you! Appreciate it!
i actually love this game, i've been meaning to play the sequels but haven't gotten to them yet.
You only find out about the killer's identity in the sequel? I knew that tactic sounded familiar! Microids also released Dracula 4+5, which were basically one half each of one game. You can't even buy them separately anymore...
I remember playing the demo for this, back when it was released, and liking it enough to go buy the game. Pretty good, but yeah, that 'ending'. I bought the sequel on gog a while back, but haven't played it.
I'm definitely invested enough in the story that I need to play the second one soon! I really like the atmosphere in this game c:
It’s okay about the x play thing. I get you. In college for game design one of my teachers had friends who worked at g4. They did a thing where we had a contest to see who could create a 3d computer graphics bumper for g4. We went a little crazy trying to get a 5 second video on the channel. Competition, sabotage, plagiarism, theft. The whole tela novella Mexican soap opera deal. In the end no one really one as g4 just took our work and never credited anyone who made it (which was kinda the whole point, work credit portfolio stuff) but if you ever saw a little robot blow a hole in a wall with the hole cut out in the shape of the g4 logo with an alien looking back that was mine. I think my friends race car speeding by bill boards was better animated.
You have the best content and I can’t tell you enough how much I enjoy every video and love your presentation and outlook thank you for making my day
Thank you, I appreciate it!!
You mentioning Syberia got me a bit excited but you don’t have videos on it I know you mostly do horror but I’d like to see a video on that series. I’m a recent fan of it.
I'm a sucker for point and click adventure games, I might do Syberia in the future! c:
Oh man, I loved this game. Except the F****** cookie puzzle! I got the game in a bargain bin and thought it was a copy protection puzzle like the moddie puzzle in Space Quest 6, which I also got in a bargain bin and couldn't do because it didn't come with the manual!
Accursed farms did a couple of videos on this game... jeez, 8 years ago? He spends a good 5 minutes ranting about the cookies. Also his conclusion on the killer, that its either Victoria's dad or vampires, makes more sense then who they say it was in the 2nd game.
Haha I can definitely see how the cookie puzzle came off as a copy protection 🤣🤣
Starting up the second game here soon can’t wait to get some resolution!
Oh, I do remember being a kid, when my parents played lots of games, sitting beside my mother, who's been playing Siberia and crying when boys dream, who became already a man, coming true, I saw and played this game. Honestly, puzzles were the most frustrating thing and if there were no walk through, I would be doomed to go back and forth locations 😂
Walkthroughs are definitely helpful for these old puzzle games 🤣
" No one on earth has ever had fun doing a slide puzzle" I only know one person and that was my ex best friend. I was playing a survival horror game with a slide puzzle and was complaining and she literally said "why, i love them!". Notice how i said ex-best friend lol.
A sociopath 😩
Ah Still Life. I still re-read the screenshot LP that first introduced me to it every couple years. *I* don't think it's worth playing, but no shame to anyone who likes it. Now the sequel on the other hand, Still Life 2, THAT I will throw shade at anyone who defends it.
But yes please play Still Life 2.
I will be soon!! :D
13:05 giving off max Payne vibes
Huh? There was only 2 ingredients I didn't get right away.
The lockpicking puzzle... is hell sure when you aren't writing down which pin springs which other pins.
I really love this game to be honest. I've played through it a few times now and played the other games that are part of the story too. I can only say one thing though that really was a moment of why, just whyyyyyyyyyy. Cookies. Nope. Other then that, the style and art in the game really are things I enjoy. I am pretty sure I've saved screen captures of those somewhere on my PC.
Become the XPlay!
That's how it ends?! Pleeeease do the second one. I must know!
Oh the Vader nooooo. Had me cackling. Hope you're feeling better!
I know right I need to know what happens!
And thanks I hope so too, I have covid it’s knocking me out 🤣
@early-tv oh noes! Covid going around like crazy. I had it for Xmas 🙃 second round with the stuff in my case.
I took 5 days to reply so you should be feeling better 😆 at least I hope so!
I wanted to be on Attack of the Show so bad as a teen 😂
EDIT: OK turns out you mentioned this at the end, I should really finish videos before I reply...
I seem to recall there was also a game called Post Mortem by the same folks, I think it's a whole game about Gustav.
I cannot for the life of me remember whether I actually played it or not, but I do know I've bought all three on CD.
Are you thinking about finishing out the series after you get out of the shadowhearts rabbit hole?
I am pretty interested in the rest and its not something that's super common to cover (one of the things I enjoy about your content)
Yes I do definitely plan on doing the next game in the near future! Need a little break from Shadow Hearts after the 3 hour video 🤣🤣
I love this game and it's sequel even if it's clunky at times
I find it hilarious that, of the two videos I've seen about this game in my lifetime, one praised the cookie puzzle as the single best puzzle in a game full of great puzzles, while the other hated its guts.
Then again, Ross _is_ a cookie addict, so it was probably a lot more intuitive for him to figure out.
Haha! Everyone has different tastes
I found out just how many crazy people are out there that love slide puzzles for example 🤣💖
I think what I found charming about this game was the main character because of her pixie cut. Something just always clicks with me when a bad ass female main character has a short cute haircut like that.❤❤❤ I don’t have to have another reason to love a game other than that, but I did like the serial killer mystery aspect
I was super invested in the LP that I watched, don’t really remember if the mystery was ever solved, and for that I am kind of sad
Koudelka's design is all around great 😊
@@early-tv I agree! just watched something about that game too
Jade from Beyond Good and Evil is another badass with a sweet short haircut! She's so cool. I need to replay it :3
Keep up the good work!
Thanks!!
Will you play the second game soon? loved this video
I was wondering if you will mention Post Mortem. I really liked it when I played it back in 2003 (yeah, I'm old 😅). Maybe you could make a review? 😊
And, btw, I love sliding puzzles! 😁
I definitely want to play the other two games!
I would have started with Post Mortem but I didn’t realize it was part of the series at first because of the different name 🤣
@@early-tv Yeah... It's really confusing. But as gameplay is different I kinda understand the change. I've played Post Mortem first, and years later I've got a copy of Still Life. Until Gustav showed up I had no idea what I was playing. 🤣
Btw, have you played Sanitarium? A 1998 point and click psychological horror that really needs a remake. 😁
only six mental breakdowns, cpk... shiiit
thanks for the game review :-D i just got this game the follow up and the prequel on GoG
Oo have fun with them!!! The atmosphere is so good. I still need to play the second one 😁
was folowing your twitter aka "X" and could help but read your bio in you sweet yet murderous voice
Played the demo of it back in 07/08 and it terrified me.
All the puzzles you mentioned having difficulty with - I recall them as well, they suck. I am thankful for gamefaq's existence and the guides people posted there, they were and are a blessing.
I didn't remember Gustav being so badass! I got used to the trope of MC's always just either avoiding the people they have to answer to or simply taking the shit they are given in silence, but not Gustav! And that badassery seems to run in their blood, considering the showdown with the serial killer!
Yeah, the ending makes you think what the point of the whole investigation, or game was. It sucks. Like, we are finding clues and solving puzzles with one express purpose - to find the killer. Not to just deus ex them into the sequel (possibly), but to find who they are and maybe bring them to justice. Never played through the sequel, probably because I fear the ending might be similar, and as far as I know there is no Still Life 3.
The way the killer is portrayed makes me feel like some of the devs wanted us to root for them? Like, they were going for a Arsene Lupin kinda thing, especially with the getup? Maybe I'm just crazy. That kind of characterisation doesn't work with serial killers praying on innocent people.
I definitely wouldn’t have gotten past the lockpicking puzzle without a walkthrough that’s for sure haha.
Starting up the second game here soon, really hoping it has a good resolution! :D
"Can you believe the gall? I mean really, me, a subscriber? It's totally preposterous." said this subscriber calmly.
"It DOES look dated, but it's also from nearly two decades ago." - paraphrasing your point on the visuals
Honestly thought I was crazy for wanting to be on G4 too😂 I wish to see the sequel of this silly game
I hope to cover the sequel soon! I miss G4 😭
A peak style over substance game - especially the modern sections. Loved the gritty murder thriller vibe, and the style of the cinematics, as well. Never really enjoyed the flashback sections with Gustav, though - it kind of feels like a different game, even though the story ties it in. And, oh God, the puzzles. I needed a walkthrough for almost everything, had to get my wife to do the goddamned sliding puzzle (I HATE sliding puzzles), and that key assembly thing in the sewers, as well. I wish so much more had been like the CSI investigation work at the start of the game. A real missed opportunity overall, I feel. Completely killed my desire to experience the sequel, even though I was hooked by the story despite all the flaws.
My wife requested the I inform you that she LOVES sliding puzzles (which, thank God, I've got someone to handle them in retro games). I think it's past trauma for me, stemming from the H house in Neverhood. That stupid thing killed any love I ever possibly could have had for sliding puzzles.
@@KyNiDo The sliding puzzle in The Neverhood is 100% the start of my hatred of sliding puzzles hahaha. I remember begging my poor family members to do it for me any time I got to it 🤣🤣
And agreed I really wish the game had more of the crime scene investigation elements, that was really cool in the start. I am definitely gonna be playing Sill Life 2 next despite the frustrating parts because I just NEED to know what happens at this point haha!
@@early-tvMy dad basically said "either do it yourself or I throw out the game" after the 10 or 11th time of forcing him to do it. I feel so sorry for them now, haha. Glad I'm not the only one carrying that trauma :D
18:40 Yeah, 18 years ago, I stopped playing at the recipe section. I don't understand how cooking recipes are related to the investigation. After watching your entire video, I'm glad I didn't play the whole game.
A few of the puzzles in this game are genuinely frustrating, but I do still like it overall for the story and atmosphere. Still gotta play the next one to see where the story goes 😆
@@early-tv yeah, this story kinda reminds me of a British serial killer "Jack the Ripper". Though they couldn't capture/identify the killer, anyway I'm looking forward to your next video. Hopefully the story this time is not horrible 🤞🏼
me who likes slide puzzles 👁️👄👁️ (tbf: i get how they can get bad very easily, but they're more in danger of slowing the timing a lot and being out of place kind of boring. also i just like jigsaw puzzles)
I just don’t like them cuz I’m bad at them lmaooo 🤣😭